Causatum
by Roguishly
Summary: "You have a choice," Severus said, looking to James. "You either let me take Lilly from here, and keep her safe, or she'll be taken up by the Death Eaters and indoctrinated, and your unborn will child sacrificed to the Dark Lord."


Chapter One: The Unbreakable Vow

The flat misshapen stones had been worn away from years of disuse; weeds growing through earthen cracks that jutted across the flagstone. And Hogwarts was quiet. The rain swept up through the hamlet of Hogsmeade, leaving a permanent mist along the lake. The trees were barren in the forest, a ghastly sight for a place that had been once so full and rich with flora and fauna. It had now all withered, crumbled and decayed away; and the jewels of light that seeped through Hogwarts' many windows remained extinguished.

All except for one.

Tired, worried hands groped for their wand in a cloak pocket.

_Lumos_.

And an arm extended, holding the light as a beacon high above the head onto which the body belonged. As the presence of the castle loomed closer, sight took notice of the windows, glistening from recent rainfall. The form pressed onward, all the way to the ornate oaken doors that once seemed so homely.

However, when the door was swung open, its weight threw it the rest of the way off of its hinges and it loudly cracked against the marble walkway. A phoenix could be seen etched into the woodwork, surrounding the emblazoned Hogwarts 'H'. The wood became spattered with rain and onward was the destination; to find the source of this light.

"Hello?" A voice called. The voice of the one holding the wand above their head. "Is anyone here?"

There was strange growth on the walls, Ivy, but it looked too alive, Devil's Snare, possibly. its tendrils were slimy and glistening against the light, but shriveled away if the light got too close. Something could be heard, just off of one of the main corridors. The walls were icy, and that made for an overall frigid climate in the castle itself.

It wasn't a second later that someone cried. "_Wingardium Leviosa!" _

"I thought I would find you here, James." Severus said.

James said nothing.

"You've come to me for a reason, have you not?" Even in the small slant of light, the angle of Snape's nose looked menacing.

"You've come to me to save your precious Lilly!" Severus laughed. "I can assure you, she needs no saving; for the Dark Lord has spared you the agony of having to save her. Mind you, in due time, your debts must be repaid to me."

"I didn't come for Lilly." James spat.

"THEN WHAT DID YOU COME FOR!" Severus let James fall to the floor. "_SECTUMSEMPRA!_"

James cried in pain, holding his stomach, blood seeping through his fingers, the color of crushed red berries.

"I did not come for retribution; you have protected Lilly as I have asked you, Severus!" He pulled in a shaky breath. "Please..."

"She doesn't _love you_." Severus snapped. "Do you not remember how you almost got Lilly killed, _twice_? You wanted me to protect Lilly, even went so far as to instate an_ unbreakable vow_; and now you want to forget all about it? Or did you forget our deal, James?"

"_James_!_ JAMES_!" The square was alight with various hexes and curses, and they both had dove behind battlements.

"Lilly, I'm here, I'm here..."

Sirius and Remus had taken separate routes, and were going to ambush the Death Eaters from an opposite side.

"I don't know how much longer I can take this." Lilly said, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Just be strong, Lilly, we'll be okay." James wiped a few of her tears away.

Sirius and Remus had indeed ambushed them from behind with roars of laughter before they came back around and Sirius extended his hand to Lilly. She stood up, just as a curse was flung at her almost hitting her square in the chest; but James managed to dis-spell it.

"Sirius, are you _insane_? You would've gotten her killed!"

"Well if she would _move_ a little faster..."

"She's pregnant you bloody twit!" They ducked just before a piece of battlement shattered and was sent shrapnel flying every which way.

"We need to get Lilly out of here, NOW!"

He wasn't sure how this had started, they'd been sitting in the square, and in the sky, with a loud _boom_ was the Dark Mark; a fountain, which they now crouched behind was turned to rubble in a matter of moments; they'd come from all sides.

Moments later several Death Eaters swept on both Sirius and Remus; one tried to take Lilly, but an ironclad hand stopped one of them.

"Severus!" Lilly then embraced him and the Death Eater backed away.

"You have a choice," Severus said, looking to James. "You either let me take Lilly from here, and keep her safe, or she'll be taken up by the Death Eaters and indoctrinated, and your unborn will child sacrificed to the Dark Lord."

Curses and hexes could be heard pinging and ricocheting off of lamp posts and benches.

"Why in the hell should I trust you?"

"James, look at your odds, there are still at least a hundred Death Eaters here; this small Wizarding Community of Godric's Hollow cannot possibly withstand more than it has. While I have the ability to..." He lowered his voice. "Do grunt-work for the Dark Lord and keep Lilly safe; do not be so foolhardy, James. Think of Lilly, of your child!"

"An Unbreakable Vow, then." James said.

"There will be immovable sacrifices." Same also looked to Lilly as well as James when he said this. "On both of your parts. Lilly, you will have to receive the Dark Mark as I have. I'll make certain you're protected. Will you bond us, Lilly?"

Lilly shuddered, but nodded, holding out her wand; watching watched as James and Snape clasped hands, their wants at the ready, flames snaking between their hands.

"I vow to James Potter to protect Lilly Evans, and her unborn child with all my power and ability available to me."

Lilly held her wand shakily as one tongue of flame shot out, and then another.

"I accept your vow to protect Lilly and my unborn child; lest you not fill your obligation..."

Their voices chorused together: "The penalty is death; this I vow."

Finally, a third thread of fire shot out and interlinked like a chain around their clasped hands before it dissipated.

It was the last time James would see Lilly, as she disappeared within the arms of a man he so aptly hated. He hated him for having more power in this situation than he had himself. He wanted nothing more than to feel useful...

She'd been whisked away after Severus had gotten them both to safety, but he kissed her fleetingly; for once in his life not too sure where to go. His friends were surely Death Eaters now, or going to be sent to Azkaban with a Dementor for a roommate. And he watched as snow swept upwards; on the current of a strong, gusting gale, and remembered with a heavy heart...

That it was Christmas Eve.


End file.
